Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1887-05-19
Turner County Herald.
Published Every Thursday.
DAKOTA. NAY 10. 1887
OFFICIAL PAPER.
Assessment of Taxes,
conklin's Dako,lan.

The farmers Who own but one fourth
of the wealth of Dakota, pay three
fourths of the taxes; that such is the
fact, the assessment rolls of the conn-
ties will show; the town, county, city
and village assessors Will soon begin
their annual comedy of errors, that
should be entitled show not to do it"
they will miss no poor mans property
you may be sure; nothing which the
farmer or the mechanic has will escape
their Argus eyes; every calf and pig,
every second hand mower and plow
and harrow and harness and acre of
land and Improvement will be carefully
noted and valued. The farmer will
make no effort to conceal from the
assessor any property he has; he will
not perjure himself in order to avoid
paying his Just share of the expense OF
maintaining the government that pro-
tects him in the enjoyment of life, lib
erty and property; that the farmer of
all others has most reason to avoid
taxation if he can, is very well under
stood by all who have observed the
practical working of assessment and
taxation in Dakota. Our assessment
laws made by legislative rascals, and
the putty human ciphers semi-annually
furnished by the people for their use,
are such that the farmer has often to
pay taxes on what he does not own as
well as what he.does own; Mr.. Jones
has $1,000, with which to buy Il farm;
he finds one that vii! cost $1,000. He
has not money enough to buy it so he
borrows $4,000, at 10 per cent and with
his own $1,000 buys the farm, and gives
a mortgage back to John Smith on the
| farm for 5000. Now Jones has $1,000
| in that farm and no more. and Smith
has $1,000 in it. Jones will not be able
| to net clear OF expenses over five per
cent on his investment in that farm,
while Smith gets 10 per cent and takes
no chances of drouth, hail, or seasons.
Who should pay the taxes ON that farm.
Clearly each according to their interest,
Jones on one third and Smith on two
/ thirds; Jones on $1,000 and Smith on
$4,000. Because each should pay on
what he owns and no man should pay
taxes on what he does not own. The
commonest kind of common justice
would demand that Jones should not
pay taxes on $1,000 when he has but
| $1,000 worth of property of any kind
the injustice is SO palpable that il
would be an insult to the common
sense of our readers to waste our space
by further Illustration. The fact is oul
assessment laws are made IN the inter
est of the capitalists. and the poor pay
the taxes the rich should bear, and this
state Of things will continue until the
people rise up in their might and fiji
the council as well rs the legislativ,
assembly with men whom capital doe.
not own and manipulate as the to,
man on the street works a jumping
jack.
Next to the evil and injustice forcet
upon the people by laws made for tina
purpose, is the gross inefficiency.and al
most criminal neglect of the mer
whom the people elect for that purpos,
and denominate assessors. Ifthe asses
sor would do his duty intelligently
faithfully and fearlessly under the law
wickedly unjust as it is. property to th
i value of many millions of dollars here
tofore untaXed, would be listed fo
!! taxation; property of the rich; propert
annually screened from taxation b
+, bald and unblushing perjury. If tn
,, assessor is competent, he is often, quit
r often, (about nine times out of ten
3 either such a moral coward that h
b dare not face the men of wealth In hi
c town and county and show them tha
q he has Investigated their liability
assessment. and demand Of them
, proper return, and in default therec
= = assess them himself for what he b,
c lieves they should be assessed. and leay
them to their appeal and perjury; o
\ else he is the fawning sychophant {
Cttlbii w Nv OoClOoGeFo lllo oihSS w eli
# use and purposes of those who have til
Il most use for government, but are leas
willing to support such government
IS The lines of our railways are specllle
i with warehouses, grain elevators, lun
d Der yards and roller mills-valuabl
properties. Go look at the valuation
of some of these properties as compare
with other properties for any year yc
choose to select, and the light will soc
begin to dawn on the mind Of any ia
Investigator. Why is it stocks of Iur
Der in lumber yards $1,000 to 5000
/, are assessed from $500, to $500
y Grain elevators paying SIG ayear tax
q when other properties costing 10 mo
to erect, and worth no more, and locat,
in the same town pay 500. Roll
mill properties worth $4,000, to So
600, valued by assessors at from $50
to $4,000. 1t lis either because Il
assessor has not the moral courage
do his duty, OF else he expects son
favors at the hands Of the owners
agents of such properties. If it be la
of moral courage or of sufficient know
edge and sense to do his duty, he is
be pitied, because it is no crime FOL
man to be either a coward or a TO
but if it be from a lack of honesty a.
\, integrity, such an assessor is of all m
J. most culpable, because to unJustly a
the men and corporations who are ri
" and need no aid, he is heaping taXati
oi upon the shoulders of the poor, the
ne who have already burdens more tn
IN they can bear and whose condition ca
loudly on every man of common he
esty and common decency for libel
lr- and humane treatment.
lg Then there is the Dakota bank
proper, and the three Ball Dakc
Of banker. GmpropeD and their name